Techniques for Self-Hypnosis

Steps for Self-Hypnosis

Identify your outcome or goal for the session; make sure it is stated in positive language. This is because what we focus on is what tends to expand in our life - so we want to focus on what we want (eg to be calm)rather than what we don't want (eg to be less stressed).

Find somewhere comfortable where you will not be disturbed.

Relax your body and your breathing.

Use your favourite hypnotic induction, such as one of those below.

Focus your attention on your outcome or goal. If other thoughts intrude, stay in deep trance and simply return the focus of your attention to your outcome.

Bring yourself out of hypnosis by counting from 1 up to 5 or however you prefer.

Progressive Relaxation Method

Start by paying attention to your feet. Make them comfortable and begin to relax all the little muscles in your feet. Now… take a slightly deeper in-breath and allow that feeling of relaxation to spread up to your knees. It can come up the bones or muscles and spread outwards, or up the skin and soak inwards; however you choose to do this is perfect.

Carry on breathing normally as you pay attention to the feelings of relaxation spreading, then, when the relaxation has reached your knees, with another deeper in-breath, pull the feeling up to your hips. If you come across any tensions in your body as you do this, just let the feeling flow around them and carry on. Next, pull the feeling up to your shoulders. Let it flow up your body like a wonderful wave, then spilling down your arms from your shoulders, to your elbows, wrists and hands. Then, with another in-breath, pull the feeling from your shoulders, up your neck right to the top of your head, relaxing all the little muscles in your face, head and jaw... let this lovely feeling swirl around the top of your head and notice how good it feels. Now, this time on an outbreath, double that wonderful feeling of relaxation from the top of your head all the way down to your shoulders - doubling that feeling of relaxation in all the muscles of your head and face. Next, with and another deeper out-breath, double the feeling of relaxation from your shoulders down to your hips - that wonderful wave of relaxation right down your spine, and spilling down from your shoulders all the way down your arms to the tips of your fingers. Every muscle, nerve and cell in your body filling up with this wonderful deep, calm and peaceful relaxation now...And, again breathing out, double the relaxation from your hips right down to your knees… Finally, double the relaxation down to your feet; all the way down through your calves and ankles... Any tensions that remained you can allow to just drain out through the soles of your feet as you notice how good it feels to be this relaxed from the top of your head all the way down to the tips of your toes. The more you practice the technique, the more effective it becomes. In addition to being a lovely method of self-hypnosis, this is also an excellent technnique to use for insomnia.

Staircase InductionStaircases are a lovely way of inducing trance, because you can count yourself down, and then count yourself back up again. Your stairs could be some lovely wide, shallow stone steps - perhaps leading down into a beautiful garden; or maybe they are stairs leading down into a comfortable room with a beautiful view. Whatever "special place" you choose to go can be real, or imagined - whatever you choose is perfect.

Find a comfortable, relaxed position.

Imagine a set of ten steps or stairs.

Tell yourself that each time you go down a step you will double your relaxation, or go even deeper into trance.

Start counting slowly in time with your exhalations, all the way down from one to ten.

Deeper and deeper…

When you are ready to come out of trance, walk gently back up the steps, counting from ten up to one.

If you are using your self-hypnosis for inspiration about something, you could perhaps meet somebody in your garden, or room, who could help you with your problem. What you are doing is accessing your own infinite potential in your unconscious mind.

You can also have a staircase with no end and no beginning, if you prefer (because there is no end to relaxation!) and simply go deeper and deeper with every step down...

Wave Induction

Find a comfortable, relaxed position.

Imagine your favourite beach (either real or imagined) at your favourite time of day. Notice the image vividly; what can you see, hear and smell? What can you feel…?

Walking slowly along the beach, you find a beautiful piece of driftwood. You pick up the stick and you draw the number ONE on the sand… then watch as a wave rolls in and washes it away.

Then you draw the number TWO, and watch as another wave comes in and washes it away.

Slowly you draw the number THREE, and another wave comes in and washes it away.

You can carry on drawing numbers, say up to ten, or just stop when all the numbers seem to have been washed away so you can't really be bothered to think about them any more...

As a variation, you can write your worries or negative beliefs in the sand, and become aware of how insubstantial they really are as you watch the waves wash them away. If they are no longer there, will they cease to exist?

These are just a few ideas for some methods of self-hypnosis - there are many, many more methods, and of course you can always develop your own! If you would like to learn more about self-hypnosis, how to learn it and how to teach it to others, why not come along to one of our courses?